A Dark, Dark Day
by Kaitmiller17
Summary: Maka need some advice from Tsubaki but something goes wrong instead.


Maka slips her bag over her shoulder, shoes already on and keys safely in her bags so they won't jingle together. She stealthily makes her way down the hall, thankful that Soul has the TV on to help cover her sounds. She opens the front door, ready to escape, before shouting in to the apartment.

"Bye, Soul! See you later!"

"Wait! Where are you-"

The door slams shut.

"going? Damn it!"

Soul punches a pillow in frustration.

"Why does she keep avoiding me?"

Maka's eyes starts to water and, despite her efforts to keep them in, a few tears fall from her eyes, making black streaks down her face from her eyeliner. She walks with her head down, praying that she won't run into anyone she knows. She walks the familiar route to her best friend's house and is there in only a few minutes. She knocks on the door and waits for her friend to answer, being surprised when is is Black Star who comes into veiw when it swings open. Not that she should be surprised that he's there, it's just that he never answers the door. He sees Maka's tear-stained face and his joyful grin turns into barred teeth full of malice.

"Alright, whose ass do I need to kick?"

That's all Maka needs to break down into full gasping sobs and flowing tears.

"Shitshitshit. Tsubaki! A little help in here!"

Tsubaki rushes to the door, apron on and sauce covered spatula in hand. When she realizes Maka state her face falls.

"Oh my gosh, Maka, what happened?"

She walks to her friend, handing off the spatula to Black Star, and pulls her into a hug.

"It's alright, Maka,calm down."

"It's not- alright- I can't- do this anymore." Maka barely gets the sentence out through her racking sobs.

"Come sit down and talk to me."

She leads Maka into the kitchen and sits her down in a chair at the table. Black Star follows them in and puts the spatula on the counter. Tsubaki signals for Black Star to leave and he frowns before going to hide out in his room.

Maka's sobs have started to lessen, which Tsubaki takes as a good sign. The two girls sit side-by-side at the table with Tsubaki rubbing small circles into Maka's back with her palm.

"Okay, Maka, tell me what's wrong."

"It's Soul and I."

Tsubaki waits in silence for Maka to continue, knowing she just needs some time.

"It's all my fault we're like this!"

"Like what?"

"Well, when's the last time you saw us together? I mean, we don't even sit together in class anymore."

"I guess I haven't seen you two together in a while, but I don't know what goes on at home."

"I keep avoiding him. We haven't talked in over a month and I miss him like hell. I avoid home as long as possible and then when I do go back I hide away in my room with my door locked!"

"But why, Maka?"

"Here's the stupid part. I might even get Black Star to hit me for this."

Tsubaki can tell that Maka has finally lost it; as if the crying wasn't enough to give her away. Tsubaki isn't even sure who Maka is truly talking to. She's so distant as she rants, spilling everything whether she wants to or not; her emotions winning out over her embarassment.

"I can't look at him. Or hear his voice. It's like my heart is breaking, I can feel it. How am I suppose to fight with him?"

"Maka do you-?"

"Yeah, I'm fucking in love with him. With every cell in my body and every inch of my Soul. And that's tearing me apart!"

"Maka, why don't you just tell him?"

"That would be worse. See, right now I'm just falling apart, not all at once, but slowly, but if I tell him how I feel he's going to realize what a psycho I am and leave, ending it all, breaking me in one fowl swoop."

Tsubaki is truly scared. She's never seen Maka like this before. She can almost see the threads of Maka's sanity coming loose, her friend seeming more like a guest at the mad tea party; her logic making just as much sense, than herself.

"What are you going to do then?"

"I've already asked for a new partner, Kid said he'd tell Soul tonight."

"What the hell, Maka?! Are you serious?!"

Black Star hears the sudden yelling and comes running to the kitchen, pausing just inside the doorway to access the situation.

"I can't believe you would do that! _Maka Albarn, _the strongest girl I know is giving up! How long do you think you're going to last without him though? I'm sure you're already losing it, the Black Blood already taking a hold of you. Yes, that has to be it, this is so not you, Maka!"

Tsubaki grasps at an explanation for Maka's sudden change in character and only finds the one. Maka only finds a thread of lucidity to respond.

"But my anti-demon-"

"A sound soul resides within a sound mind! Maka! Your mind isn't very sound right now! How do you expect your soul to be fine too?!"

Maka stands from the table, knocking over her chair with the motion. She walks over and pulls a knife out of it's drawer. Before Tsubaki can react and before Black Star even know's what's happening, Maka slits her wrist. Black Blood starts to pool of of the large gash, dripping onto the counter and floor.

"Shit. Black Star, get the first aid kit!"

Tsubaki rushes to Maka, grabbing a towel off the counter to put over her wound.

"Tsubaki, it's black."

"SHit, I know, Maka."

She presses the towel over Maka's wrist and waits for Black Star to return. When her does, she quickly and tightly bandages Maka's wrist.

Just as Maka begins to sob again, someone knocks on the door.

"Fuck! Why now? Black Star, get the door please."

Tsubaki leads Maka to the floor and lets her cry into her shoulder.

Black Star opens up the door to fins a rather gloomy looking Soul.

"Dude, I gotta talk to you."

"Uh, we're a little busy right now."

Soul finally notices the sobbing coming from the apartment and recognizing just who's it is.

"Maka's here."

"Yeah, she is."

Soul notices the panic and fear in Black Star's eyes and his heavy breathing. He pushes past him into the apartment and follows Maka's cries to the kitchen, freezing when he enters.

Blood pools on the counter and floor; one surrounding a knife and the other just beside a crumpled ball of limbs. When Soul realizes the blood is black, his feet start to move and he falls to the floor just in front of the girls. He lifts Maka's face and sees the almost translucent pallor of her skin and her red puffy eyes.

"What happened?"

Tsubaki answers with tear streaked eyes.

"A lot, Soul, she needs help."

"Did I do something?"

"No, its not your fault, but we have to get her to Stein."

Soul takes Maka into his arms and Black Star helps Tsubaki up. The four drive Tsubaki's car to Stein's where he awaits them, having felt their souls approach. They exit the car and Stein looks at Maka sadly.

"So, it really happened."

"You _knew_ this would happen?"

"No, Soul, I thought it could happen to someone else in her situation, but I thought she was stronger than that. I've been monitoring your souls for a while and thought to intervene."

"Why didn't you?!"

"She caught me and said to 'fuck off.' She said she could handle herself."

"You should have told me."

"You must have know something was wrong, you are her partner after all."

"We haven't talked in over a month, I had no way to know. We haven't resonated in even longer."

"That's enough reason right there to know something is wrong. Why would she ignore her most loved person."

Soul sighs heavily. "God, Maka, what happened?"

She mumbles to him, barely conscious.

"I'm sorry, Soul."

"Why did you hurt yourself? Why are you avoiding me? Why request a new partner?"

"I can't be with you, Soul."

"But why, Maka?"

She goes completely limp, just managing to stay partially awake for so long.

"Maka, please don't go now. Please, wake up."

"Soul, you have to resonate with her."

"But I-"

"It's the only way to get to her."

He takes a breath before sitting down with Maka in his lap. He places a hand behind her head and pushes his lips to hers, a few tears running down his face.

He opens his eyes to a white room. The room in bare except for a large swimming pool filled with black liquid.

He walks to the edge of the pool and peers inside. There she is. Maka lies dormant, her naked figure suspended in the water. She already looks dead.

Soul doesn't need to think about what to do and dives straight into the blackness. When he opens his eyes there is so much more darkness than seen from above. He swims slowly and surely through the thick liquid, moving towards Maka.

When he reaches her, and wraps his arms around her lithe figure, she opens her eyes. He takes her hand to pull her out but she resists and shakes her head. _She doesn't want to leave._

He pulls her too him again, pushing his lips to hers, letting them mold together. The blackness surrounding them lightens until it is clear and Soul easily swims to the surface with Maka.

He pulls her up with him to the edge of the pool. He kisses her again and the white room fades, the graveyard taking it's place.

When their lips part, Soul growls.

"I'm so furious at you right now."

"I'm sorry."

"You're a real idiot to think I don't love you, and a real idiot to fall into the Black Blood."

"I know."

"God-"

He pulls her in again, kissing her with hungry passion.

"I am so in love with you, Maka."

"I love you too, Soul."


End file.
